Pelosi aims to move fast on next rescue package

Pelosi aims to move fast on next rescue package-politico: House Democrats are moving rapidly on ambitious plans for a fourth coronavirus relief package, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi eager to put her imprint on legislation that she says could be ready for a vote in the coming weeks. Pelosi told reporters Monday that Democrats are in the early stages of drafting another major bill that will not only shore up health systems and protect frontline health care workers but could include substantial investments in infrastructure.

Trump shifts, says distancing to go to April 30

Trump shifts, says distancing to go to April 30-thehill:  On Sunday Trump announced that the White House will keep its guidelines for social distancing in place through the end of April to try to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, a significant shift from less than a week ago, when he said he hoped the country could be “opened up” by Easter Sunday, April 12.

Pelosi warns against ‘selfish’ lawmakers disrupting coronavirus vote

Pelosi warns against ‘selfish’ lawmakers disrupting coronavirus vote-politico: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team are determined to clear a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package on Friday, making contingency plans in case a lawmaker on either side tries to delay the vote. But the move has infuriated many rank-and-file lawmakers, who spent Thursday afternoon and evening scrambling to try to find flights to Washington so they could be present for a potential roll call vote. Lawmakers were previously told they would have at least 24 hours’ notice if they needed to return, but that turned out not to be the case.

Why Isn’t Congress Already Virtual?

Why Isn’t Congress Already Virtual?-politico: Brian Baird says that when he was running through the halls of the Longworth House Office Building on the terrifying morning of September 11, 2001, urging people to flee, he thought first about the safety of his family and then about the survival of the United States Congress.

Heard on The Hill

Heard on The Hill-rollcall: There is no way around it: Opening Day without baseball thanks to the coronavirus pandemic is a bummer. But baseball will return — eventually. In the meantime, the CQ Roll Call archives are awash with great photos from the early days of the Washington Nationals all the way through the World Series championship parade. Yep. That was just last year.

Sweeping economic aid bill to counter coronavirus passes Senate

Sweeping economic aid bill to counter coronavirus passes Senate-rollcall: The Senate voted Wednesday night to send the House a massive financial relief package to tide the U.S. economy and its strained health care sector over for the next few months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to escalate across the country.

Negotiators strike deal on massive coronavirus rescue package

Negotiators strike deal on massive coronavirus rescue package-politico: Senate leaders and the Trump administration clinched a bipartisan deal early Wednesday morning on a nearly $2 trillion emergency relief package in response to the coronavirus pandemic, a move intended to assist businesses and millions of Americans amid an unprecedented halt in the U.S. economy.

Mnuchin, Schumer say coronavirus rescue package deal very close

Mnuchin, Schumer say coronavirus rescue package deal very close-politico: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that they are "very close" to an agreement on a nearly $2 trillion coronavirus economic rescue package, raising the possibility of a Senate vote on the legislation as early as Tuesday. Following a series of late-night meetings in Schumer's office in the Capitol, Mnuchin and Schumer told reporters around midnight that they hope to have the final agreement in place in the morning.

No deal yet on stimulus as stock market teeters on the edge

No deal yet on stimulus as stock market teeters on the edge-rollcall: Negotiations on an economic stimulus measure that had hit about $1.8 trillion by Sunday — and probably climbing — were set to continue Monday morning, top Senate and White House officials said late Sunday night.

‘It’s only a down payment’: Why a $1 trillion stimulus may not be enough

‘It’s only a down payment’: Why a $1 trillion stimulus may not be enough-politico: Washington is poised to blast more than $1 trillion into the U.S. economy to help offset the devastating effects of the coronavirus, which has locked down much of the nation and rocked businesses large and small. It might not be nearly enough.

First 2 members of Congress test positive for coronavirus

First 2 members of Congress test positive for coronavirus-politico: Coronavirus has finally reached Congress. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a ninth-term Florida Republican, and Rep. Ben McAdams, a freshman Democrat from Utah, revealed on Wednesday that they had tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the first U.S. lawmakers to contract the virus that‘s spreading across the country.

Biden sweeps Sanders in Illinois, Florida and Arizona

Biden sweeps Sanders in Illinois, Florida and Arizona-politico: Joe Biden effectively snuffed out Bernie Sanders’ flickering chances of a comeback with commanding wins in three major states on Tuesday, further asserting his dominance over a Democratic nominating contest that’s become overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Revised coronavirus aid bill headed to Senate, finally

Revised coronavirus aid bill headed to Senate, finally-rollcall: White House officials and the top Senate Republican said late Monday economic aid to households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is on track despite concerns among the GOP rank-and-file in that chamber about the impact of paid leave requirements on small businesses.

Biden says he will pick woman as VP

Biden says he will pick woman as VP -thehill: Former Vice President Joe Biden vowed on Sunday to choose a woman as his running mate if he wins the Democratic presidential nomination. “I commit that I will, in fact, pick a woman to be vice president,” Biden said at a Democratic Biden says he will pick woman as VP presidential debate in Washington. “There are a number of women who are qualified to be president tomorrow.”

Pelosi and Mnuchin closing in on a deal on coronavirus aid package

Pelosi and Mnuchin closing in on a deal on coronavirus aid package-politico: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin came up short of agreement Thursday night on a sweeping aid package for Americans affected by the coronavirus, although the two sides hope to reach a deal by Friday morning.

House Democrats introduce multi-billion dollar coronavirus package

House Democrats introduce multi-billion dollar coronavirus package-politico: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top House Democrats on Wednesday introduced a multi-billion dollar bill in response to the coronavirus outbreak, with emergency provisions that include paid sick leave, widespread free testing, food aid and unemployment insurance.

Trump ratchets up coronavirus battle with European travel ban

Trump ratchets up coronavirus battle with European travel ban-politico:  Trump on Wednesday announced a 30-day ban on foreign visitors from most of Europe in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, ratcheting up his administration’s response after battling criticism for previously downplaying the crisis.

Five takeaways from the latest Democratic primaries

Five takeaways from the latest Democratic primaries-thehill: Former Vice President Joe Biden had another strong night on Tuesday, posting big victories over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho. Here are five takeaways from the Tuesday elections.

HHS secretary unsure of how many Americans have been tested for virus

HHS secretary unsure of how many Americans have been tested for virus-thehill: Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar said early Tuesday that U.S. health officials do not know how many Americans have been tested for coronavirus. Azar during an interview CNN’s “New Day” noted that some tests have been conducted by private labs and hospitals.

Trump's mismanagement helped fuel coronavirus crisis-

Trump's mismanagement helped fuel coronavirus crisis-politico: On Friday, as coronavirus infections rapidly multiplied aboard a cruise ship marooned off the coast of California, health department officials and Vice President Mike Pence came up with a plan to evacuate thousands of passengers, avoiding the fate of a similar cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, which became a petri dish of coronavirus infections. Quickly removing passengers was the safest outcome, health officials and Pence reasoned.

Kamala Harris endorses Biden's presidential bid

Kamala Harris endorses Biden's presidential bid-thehill: Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) announced her endorsement of Joe Biden's White House bid Sunday morning, saying that the former vice president “speaks to the best of who we are and challenges us to live up to our ideals.”

Warren joins Senate's club of failed presidential hopefuls

Warren joins Senate's club of failed presidential hopefuls-politico: Elizabeth Warren is now a member of a crowded club that no one wants to join: senators who tried, and failed, to win the presidency. It’s always painful to lose. And returning to the often-mundane days of the Senate after rallying thousands across the country or battling billionaires on the debate stage might make it extra hard. But those who have been in her position say it’s not all bad, and that she can come back with new influence based on the following she’s built.

White House sidelines Azar from coronavirus response-

White House sidelines Azar from coronavirus response-politico: There will be a notable omission when Vice President Mike Pence visits Washington state Thursday as part of the Trump administration's coronavirus response: health Secretary Alex Azar. The White House on Wednesday also benched Azar from a coronavirus task force press briefing, the latest sign of diminished standing for an official who was the face of the U.S. response to the disease just a week ago.

Congress strikes a deal on bipartisan $8.3B coronavirus package

Congress strikes a deal on bipartisan $8.3B coronavirus package-politico: Congressional negotiators on Wednesday came together to clinch a bipartisan emergency funding package to combat the coronavirus, and both chambers are expected to pass the sweeping agreement by the end of the week. The deal includes roughly $8.3 billion aimed at helping states and the federal government muster more power to fight the outbreak, which is nearing a pandemic and has claimed nine lives in the U.S., sickening more than 100 people across more than a dozen states.

Four reasons why Biden shocked Sanders

Four reasons why Biden shocked Sanders-politico: On Tuesday night Joe Biden engineered one of the most monumental political comebacks in the history of party primaries. The scale of his Super Tuesday rout over three well-funded and hyper-organized Democrats, Bernie Sanders, Michael Bloomberg, and Elizabeth Warren, has no comparison.

7 things to watch on Super Tuesday in the battle for Congress

7 things to watch on Super Tuesday in the battle for Congress-rollcall: Super Tuesday contests will be critical in the race for the the Democratic presidential nomination. But there are also plenty of primaries further down the ballot that will provide clues about the battle for Congress in 2020.

Buttigieg drops out of presidential race

Buttigieg drops out of presidential race-politico: Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the 2020 presidential race Sunday night after a roller-coaster campaign that saw him rise from total obscurity to Iowa victor, only to stall out as the Democratic primary race turned to more diverse states. The 38-year-old former South Bend, Ind., mayor’s exit comes two days before Super Tuesday, opening up a wider path for former Vice President Joe Biden to become the moderate alternative to Bernie Sanders.